February 22 - Marni Nixon; Joachim Nicolas Eggert (The Musical Birthday Series, 7th Annual Cycle)

Previous posts for February 22nd are here:  Marni Nixon (2020), Johann Ambrosius Bach; Johann Nikolaus Forkel (2021), Niels Gade; Nacio Herb Brown (2022), Jan August Vitásek (2023), Johann Ambrosius Bach (2024), and Jadwiga Szajna-Lewandowska (2025)

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Marni Nixon (22 February 1930 – 24 July 2016) was an American soprano best known for dubbing the vocal parts in important movie musicals.  She also had success singing contemporary classical music. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Always a Bridesmaid

Marni Nixon wasn't seen,

Although her voice came from the screen.

She sang the need vocal part,

Which synched with engineering art,

Provided voices not their own

For actresses much better known.

 

 

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Joachim Nicolas Eggert (22 February 1779 – 14 April 1813) was a Swedish composer and musical director. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Claim to Fame

 

On 14 May 1807, Eggert's 3rd symphony was performed. This places it a year prior the premiere of Beethoven's 5th which makes Eggert's 3rd symphony one of the earliest symphonies to include trombone throughout.  -- adapted from Wikipedia 

Joachim Nicolas Eggert was a Swede

   And though he's not well known,

His grand symphonic writing took the lead

   In using the trombone.

 

 

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February 21 - Stefano Donaudy (The Musical Birthday Series, 7th Annual Cycle)

Previous posts for February 21 are here: Charlotte Church (2020), Nina Simone; Charles-Marie Widor (2021), and (2022), Léo Delibes; Johann Wenzel Kalliwoda (2023). Léo Delibes; Stefano Donaudy (2024), and Charles-Marie Widor (2025)

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Stefano Donaudy (21 February 1879 – 30 May 1925) was an Italian composer.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Past and Present 

Consider the case of Donaudy,

Who took up his pencil and vowed he

Would write his songs cast

In a style from the past... ---

And they're charming, if just touch dowdy.

 

 

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February 20 - Mary Garden; Nicola Antonio Manfroce (The Musical Birthday Series, 7th Annual Cycle)

Previous posts for February 20th are here:  Carl Czerny (2020), Nancy Wilson (2021), Johann Peter Salomon; Adalbert Gyrowetz (2022), Charles-Auguste de Beriot (2023), Carl Czerny (2024), and Carl Czerny (2025)

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Mary Garden (20 February 1874 – 3 January 1967) was a Scottish-American lyric soprano with a substantial career in France and America in the first third of the 20th century.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Quiet Impression

When taking on the role of Melisande

Mary Garden had success beyond

What might have been reliably predicted

For any role so vocally restricted.

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Nicola Antonio Manfroce (20 February 1791 – 9 July 1813) was an Italian composer.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

T.B. or not T.B.

Although already weakened by tuberculosis, Manfroce the young composer devoted himself intensely to completing Hecuba, to the detriment of his health. After the premiere, the opera was praised for its innovation and dramatic power, and audiences hailed Manfroce as one of the most gifted composers of his generation — adapted from Wikipedia.

Manfroce, gasping for each breath,

Was in a losing race with Death.

He finished Hecuba in time;

The critics thought the work sublime.

But after that acclaimed debut

Manfroce dies at twenty-two,

And that is why he's someone who

Is quite unknown to me and you.

 

 

 

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February 19 - Luigi Boccherini; György Kurtág (The Musical Birthday Series, 7th Annual Cycle)

Previous posts for February 19th are here: Luigi Boccherini (2020), Adelina Patti (2021), Elfrida Andrée; Tobias Matthay (2022), Elfrida Andrée; Luigi Boccherini (2023), Luigi Boccherini (2024), and Felip Pedrell; Johann Adam Birkenstock (2025)

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Luigi Boccherini (19 February 1743 – 28 May 1805) was an Italian cellist and extremely prolific composer, mostly for his instrument.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Speculation

He wrote a large amount of chamber music, including over one hundred string quintets, a dozen guitar quintets, nearly a hundred string quartets, and a number of string trios, and at least nineteen cello sonatas). His orchestral music includes around thirty symphonies and twelve cello concertos.  – adapted from Wikipedia

Did an elf or a genie

Assist Boccherini

To write all those pieces

That filled his valises

When he went to convince

Some noble or prince

To hire this fellow

So skilled on the cello?

 

 

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György Kurtág (b. 19 February 1926) is an important Hungarian composer. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Observation

An audience was known to beef

That György Kurtág's pieces are so brief.

 

 

 

 

If you enjoy these posts, please help me, and consider sharing.  [Also, please visit my other blog: Alternate Takes: Great Art Repurposed.]